


Infinite Paths

by MandalorianDragonTrainer



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Rebels, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: All Major Rebels Characters Will Eventually Appear, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Gen, Ghost Crew - Freeform, How They Meet In This Universe, Palpatine is Dead, The Republic Never Fell, multiple parts, order 66 never happened, tags will update
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-21
Updated: 2020-05-21
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:13:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24296419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MandalorianDragonTrainer/pseuds/MandalorianDragonTrainer
Summary: A world where the Republic—the Jedi—never fell. Eight years after the end of the Clone Wars and the death of Darth Sidious, the galaxy is a different place. Grand Master Obi-Wan Kenobi leads a restructured Jedi Order with the help of Master Anakin Skywalker, husband of Chancellor Padmé Amidala and father to Force-adept twins Luke and Leia, and Jedi Knight Ahsoka Tano, who rejoined the reborn Order after narrowly preventing her master’s fall to the Dark Side. An era of peace and light has befallen the Republic, a far cry from what almost was. But some bonds are forged in the stars, destined by the very fabric of time and space.If Kanan never lost his master. If Hera stayed at her father’s side on Ryloth. If Zeb remained an Honor Guard Captain. If Sabine were brought up in Bo-Katan’s court. If Ezra were never orphaned. Would the ghosts of another reality bind them together still?
Relationships: Cham Syndulla & Hera Syndulla, Depa Billaba & Kanan Jarrus, Kanan Jarrus/Hera Syndulla
Comments: 10
Kudos: 66





	Infinite Paths

**Author's Note:**

> "You know it is possible to change fate. There are infinite paths and infinite possibilities." -Emperor Palpatine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> PART I
> 
> Mere weeks from his Jedi trials, Padawan Caleb Dume prepares for a final assingment with his Master Depa Billaba— protecting the diplomats tasked to renew the Republic’s treaty with the independent system of Ryloth. What he expects to be a dull mission, however, changes when he meets the governor’s idealistic young daughter Hera Syndulla...

_“Kanan…”_

The voice called to him through a starry field, faint and echoing as if through water. The stars themselves rippled as he stretched himself out through the infinite void, changing to glassy wrinkles of themselves.

_“Kanan… Kanan…”_

It was a woman’s voice. Smooth and calm yet seemingly unfamiliar. Then why did he feel as if he knew her? Why did he long to answer her call?

_“Kanan?”_

Her tone had changed. Not desperate but… sad. Almost confused. But he had no voice in return. He was as one of the stars, beyond the reach of time and space and strange voices. He felt the stars folding around him, welcoming him back into their embrace. The voice faded into the oblivion of the starlight…

“Kanan.”

The voice had changed. It was no longer that of a woman, but a young boy, who now stood before him in the starfield, blue eyes reflecting their light. The child reached out his hand and stared with a befuddled, unblinking gaze.

“Kanan… where are you?”

“Master Jedi?”

Caleb startled awake, rapping his head against the top of the bunk. Swiping the sleep from his eyes, he found himself face to face with the emotionless silver face of a protocol droid.

“Can I help you, Zee-Zee?”

“Pardon the intrusion, Master Jedi, but we will be exiting hyperspace in 23 standard minutes,” ZZ-5L3 droned in the unsettlingly polite tone typical of such units. “Senator Chuchi has requested you to be prepared for arrival in Lessu’s spaceport within the hour.”

“Thank you,” Caleb forced a smile. “I’ll be right there.”

After manually bolting the door to prevent any more robotic intrusions, Caleb stepped into his cabin’s refresher. Unlike Jedi starships, which were equipped only with sanisteams, this one included an actual shower. It had been a tactical shuttle for high command officers during the war, repurposed as a luxury shuttle for senators and other elites. Mostly this meant replacing the conference holotable with dining furniture and splashing a bit of color over the drab grey interior. If the whistling hyperdrive was any indication, the ship’s bones were still that of a war-worn military vessel in desperate need of an actual mechanic.

Caleb set the water a touch colder than usual, hoping the chill may help center his thoughts. It seemed to have the opposite effect, so he cranked it up until the entire refresher was filled with steam. That only made him sleepy, so he briskly finished soaping—taking a moment to savor the warmth, it was hard to imagine some beings got to use these every day—and toweled off, slipping into a clean set of robes. As expected, Master Billaba was already up, her bunk neatly made and cabin vacated.

Caleb made his way to the ship’s lounge, finding his master seated on a cushion, eyes closed in meditation. “Good morning, Caleb,” she greeted.

“Good morning, Master,” Caleb took a seat opposite her. “I’m sorry to disturb you.”

“No need to apologize,” Billaba assured. “Although I had expected you to join me earlier. Zee-Zee says you were still asleep?”

Caleb ran his fingers through his hair sheepishly.

“The dreams again?”

“Yeah,” Caleb sighed. “There’s a voice calling a name through a starfield. I always want to answer but never form words.”

“And the name it calls?”

“Not sure. It’s not mine, though. I’m not sure why I feel the need to answer.”

“Because you never could turn down a plea for help, my Padawan,” Billaba smiled kindly. “Perhaps you are nervous about your upcoming Trials?”

“No, Master.”

“There’s no shame in feeling apprehension, Caleb,” Billaba replied. “I, too, was anxious before my own Trials. Master Windu instructed me to return those feelings to the Force, to let it take their place in my being.”

Caleb paused. “Do you still miss him, Master?”

She sighed softly. “Yes. I rejoice for him.. that he is one with the Force. But… I still feel pain. Everyday. I fear I always will.”

It was still strange to hear Master Billaba talk of her emotions that way. And she had adapted better than many other old masters. Eight years earlier, Master Windu had fallen in his final confrontation with Chancellor Palpatine, the disguised Darth Sidious. Only after was his sinister plan revealed: to turn the clones against their Jedi leaders, mold young Anakin Skywalker into his apprentice, and seize the Republic as his personal Empire. Caleb still shuddered when he thought of what almost was. By the Force’s will, Master Skywalker stopped Sidious, though he was too late to save Windu.

In an instant, the Clone Wars came to an end, and though it narrowly escaped death, the Jedi Order was rocked to his core. Amazed and terrified the Darkness had grown so stealthily under their watch, the Jedi Council reflected on the hypocrisy of its ways. Grand Master Yoda relinquished his title to Obi-Wan Kenobi and disappeared in search of enlightenment. He still had not returned. Master Skywalker, to the shock of all, revealed his secret marriage to Senator Amidala, who gave birth to their twins not two days later, and urged the Jedi to reform their dogma toward love and emotions.

The transition was slow and painstaking, and in many ways the Order remained the same. Although Skywalker was happily wed to now Chancellor Amidala, most Jedi still hesitated to forge relationships. Realizing the damage of stripping children from their families, very few younglings were now recruited to the Order. Even fewer Padawans were graduated to Knighthood, the Council feeling they still had much to learn about mastery of their emotions. Nonetheless, the Republic now enjoyed an unprecedented era of peace and light, with the phantom Darkness long looming over it at last destroyed.

“Pardon me, Masters, but the senators are prepared for you in the dining room,” ZZ-5L3’s tinny voice broke the somber silence.

“Well, let us not keep them waiting then,” Billaba rose to follow the droid. It was to be Caleb’s final assignment as Master Billaba’s Padawan, accompanying the Pantoran Senator Riyo Chuchi and her junior protégé Iro Guyen to the independent system of Ryloth, where they hoped to negotiate a renewal of the Republic’s trade treaty. Ryloth split from the Republic about a year after the conclusion of the Clone Wars and was now governed by famed Twi’lek freedom fighter Cham Syndulla, known for his difficult personality. Master Billaba was chosen specifically for the mission due to her old master’s friendly relationship with the governor.

“Look who’s up. It seems I was mistaken in my belief Jedi did not indulge in something so lazy as sleeping in,” Guyen acknowledged the Jedi’s entry with a scowl. Caleb was not particularly fond of the junior senator. Though still in his first year of public service, he was unbearably arrogant and brash, the exact opposite of his graceful mentor Chuchi.

“That’s enough, Iro,” Chuchi chided. “Master Billaba and Padawan Dume are doing the Republic a tremendous service by accompanying us.” She offered Billaba an apologetic nod. “Please pardon him, Master Jedi. This is his first diplomatic outing.”

“Of course, Senator,” Billaba returned the nod. “I already contacted Governor Syndulla to inform we are set to arrive in the Tann province by the planet’s sunset.”

“Why are you contacting the governor? That’s my duty. You’re here to serve as _bodyguards,_ ” Guyen protested.

“Hate to interject, _junior_ Senator, but the Jedi have good relations with Ryloth because of the late Master Mace Windu, who trained Master Billaba,” Caleb fired back, not about to let some roguish political trainee insult his master. “And need I remind you Jedi are trained in peacekeeping which, with all due respect, is training you evidently lack.”

Guyen’s face flushed violet and Caleb supposed he might have throttled him had the pilot’s voice not crackled over the intercom.

“We are preparing to exit hyperspace over Ryloth’s Southern Hemisphere. Pardon any—”

The blue streak of hyperspace condensed into pinpricks of light, rattling the ship. Caleb and Guyen were tossed against the dining table. The junior senator leapt to his feet, angrily swatting the wrinkles from his robes.

“What’s the meaning of this?” he grumbled, storming off towards the cockpit.

“I believe the Republic’s credits would be better spent upgrading the ship’s hyperdrive then buying solid wooden furniture,” Caleb remarked to Billaba, lightly rapping his fist on the table as he dropped his voice to a whisper. “And paying that sleemo’s salary.” She didn’t reply but smiled in impish agreement.

“I… apologize for the bumpy exit,” the pilot spoke over the intercom again, Guyen’s shouting audible in the background. “Rest assured we will have a smooth—”

Another jolt tore through the ship, far more powerful than the first, throwing Senator Chuchi and the two Jedi to the ground.

“That… that wasn’t from the exit?” Chuchi gasped.

“No,” Billaba replied somberly as she helped the senator to her feet. “That was a laser blast.”

Caleb rushed to the cockpit. “Pilot! We’ve been hit!” He threw aside the door with the Force, finding Guyen groaning on the ground and the motionless Rodian pilot crumpled over the controls, a thin line of green blood trickling down his forehead.

“Fighter pilot!” Caleb growled into the ship’s comm system. “Identify yourself. You do realize you just fired on a Republic senatorial shuttle?”

After a few moments, the radio crackle fell silent. Caleb leaned forward over the controls just in time to see a small modified starfighter leap to hyperspace. “Blast it…” he muttered.

“What’s going on?” Guyen pushed himself upright, hand pressed against a welt on his forehead.

“We were hit. I don’t think they realized we’re Republic.” Caleb gently set the unconscious pilot aside and took the controls. “Looks like the primary engine is offline. We’ll have to send an astromech to—whoa….” Caleb felt a familiar pull downward, the nose of the ship dipping steadily toward the planet below.

“What’s that?” Guyen grabbed the doorframe for support, yellow eyes widening.

“It seems we’re caught in the planet’s gravitational field,” Billaba briskly entered the cockpit, carefully lifting the pilot over her shoulder. “We need to evacuate the shuttle.”

“But the secondary engine?” Guyen whined.

“Too damaged. I was already down to check. And unfortunately the ship’s astromech was destroyed by the blast.”

“Well then… what are we waiting on?” Guyen stumbled to his feet and shoved his way past Billaba toward the escape pod.

“Iro, wait!” Chuchi called, hurrying after him.

“I’m patching our comlinks into the radio,” Caleb said. “Maybe if there’s a ship nearby—”

“Come, Caleb,” Billaba placed her free hand on her Padawan’s shoulder. “We need to assist the senators.”

Caleb nodded and took the unconscious Rodian from her as they rushed to the escape pod, finding Guyen impatiently tapping at the control panel. “Why won’t this blasted thing open?”

“Careful, Guyen,” Billaba warned. “Or you’ll—”

Caleb glanced at the viewport just in time to see his master’s warning come to fruition as the empty pod ejected from the shuttle, its autopilot engaging and sailing it safely toward the planet’s surface. “Looks like our ride’s left without us.”

“Iro, you _fool!_ ” Chuchi shoved Guyen on the chest, much to his shock. “I am _through_ with your reckless and idiotic behavior! Just look what you’ve done _now!_ ”

“It will be all right, Senator,” Billaba quickly intervened, guiding the stunned Guyen back from his indignant mentor. “Caleb and I will see to it that you…” her voice trailed off as a low hiss rose from outside the shuttle.

“Master…” Caleb struggled to mask his mounting worry. “We’ve entered the atmosphere.”

“Brace yourselves here,” Billaba ordered, pushing the senators against the wall and passing them the pilot. “Keep his neck secure.”

“What are you going to do?” Guyen whimpered, now looking like a scared child.

She didn’t answer, gesturing at Caleb to follow her to the airlock. “When we get closer to the surface, we need to jump. We’ll have to carry the senators. Get as much distance between yourself and the shuttle as you can so you aren’t caught in the explosion.”

“Are you sure about this, Master?”

“No. But we don’t have a choice.”

“Master, I—I don’t think….”

“You _can_ do this, Caleb. I have faith in you, my Padawan.”

The shuttle was now in free-fall. Caleb clutched the safety rail as he and Billaba dragged themselves back to the senators. “Hurry. We have less than 2 minutes until impact. Caleb, you take Senator Guyen. Senator Chuchi, bring the pilot with me.”

“ _What are you doing!?”_ Guyen howled.

“We’re going to jump.”

“Absolutely _not,_ ” Guyen clung to the wall until his blue knuckles were white.

“Come on, Senator!” Caleb attempted to grab the Pantoran around the waist, only to be struck back.

_“No!”_

A wave of despair washed over Caleb. He couldn’t abandon his charge, but what a senseless thing to die for. Eyes wild, he silently begged Billaba for guidance. She nodded discreetly and knelt beside the terrified young senator.

“Don’t be afraid, Iro,” she comforted him in a motherly manner. “Everything will be all right, I promise.” She placed her thumb against his forehead, and he instantly slumped to the floor asleep.

The atmosphere’s hiss had now grown to a deafening roar, and Caleb could barely hear his master’s instructions above it as she opened the airlock. The shuttle, mercifully enough, was not in a spiral but instead a clean nosedive, allowing Caleb to make out the sharp peaks of the mountain range below. He chased the image of himself splattered over the jagged rocks from his mind.

“Trust the Force, Caleb,” Billaba offered him a reassuring smile, though he could sense fear pulsing from her. Rarely had he felt his master afraid, which was enough to heighten his own apprehension to almost unbridled terror. Add to it the horror from Senator Chuchi as she locked her arms around Billaba’s neck and the presence of dread in the airlock was nearly cause enough for Caleb to faint.

“When I give the word!” Billaba exclaimed, stepping back from the opening. “Get ready!”

_Kanan…_

“Republic shuttle!” a voice over the comlink startled Caleb. “This is the _Spectre_. I’m approaching your craft at mark eight.”

Through the swirl of sky and clouds he could see a small ship approaching at blazing speed. A clunker to be sure, likely built only for atmospheric flying. But to Caleb it might as well have been a Republic military cruiser.

“We’ve lost our engines!” Caleb shouted into his comlink. “We’re about to jump!”

“Can you hold her steady? I’m going to dock.”

“Is that pilot mad?” Chuchi gasped. “She’ll never be able to dock at this speed!”

“I guess we’ll find out!” Caleb practically threw Guyen off his back and tore toward the cockpit.

“Caleb!” Billaba called, but he pretended not to hear, righting himself and pushing off the walls until he reached controls.

“Hold her, hold her, I’m almost there,” the voice of the mystery pilot was the sweetest sound Caleb ever heard. Somehow, he suddenly didn’t fear the ominous peaks below. The two ships were nearly touching, side to side, and through the darkened transperisteel Caleb could make out the distinct silhouette of the Twi’lek pilot.

“Docked!” the pilot declared triumphantly, the clank of the electromagnetic seal and sudden disappearance of the clamoring wind affirming her. “Quick, board now!”

“We owe you one, captain!” Caleb grinned and propelled himself back up the interior corridor. Billaba already had Chuchi aboard the other craft and was attempting to drag Guyen over.

“Take the pilot, I got him!” Caleb pointed his master to the unconscious Rodian. With a grunt, he lifted Guyen over his shoulder. “All right, let’s get you—”

The ship unexpectedly rocked, throwing Caleb back and sending Guyen tumbling back down the corridor.

“Caleb!” Billaba cried. “Padawan, hurry!”

“I have to undock!” that beautiful voice warned. “Is everyone onboard?”

“Wait!” Billaba stretched out her hand toward Caleb. “Caleb, you must come now!”

“I’m sorry, I have to undock now or both ships will crash!”

Caleb glanced behind him, then back at his master, her usually serene eyes wider than he had ever seen them. _I’m sorry, Master…_ He bit his tongue and lunged forward at the airlock latch, turning it.

_“No!”_

The two ships uncoupled. Caleb shoved backwards, kicked off the interior corridor wall, and launched toward the cockpit, not bothering to touch the floor. With one hand he drew his lightsaber and with the other called Guyen’s limp form to him. Curling his knees to his chest as they fell to the cockpit, Caleb grabbed Guyen against him and slashed through the transperisteel, sending the shattered bits flying to the wind as he shoved off the control panel, hurtling himself and Guyen up out of the shuttle. An invisible embrace pulled upward at his command. Willing himself just a few meters higher, he grabbed the rim of the Twi’lek’s ship's airlock. Billaba’s hands grabbed his shoulders and pulled him inside, just as the shuttle crashed into the mountains with a spectacular blast of fire and smoke.

Caleb collapsed onto the floor beside Guyen, gasping for breath. Billaba pressed a hand to his back and helped him upright. “Caleb—”

“I’m sorry for the heart attack, master,” Caleb interrupted, smirking despite himself. “But I couldn’t leave him behind.”

Billaba shook her head, struggling to hide her own smile. “You will make a fine Knight, my Padawan, if not an extremely foolish one.”

Senator Chuchi glanced up from Guyen and the Rodian pilot, who were both beginning to wake. “We owe you our lives, Master Jedi,” she bowed her head gratefully.

“Don’t forget the pilot,” Caleb added. “Speaking of which, let me—”

“Everybody okay?”

Caleb turned to face the source of the voice, the one that moments before seemed like a lifeline from the Force itself. Sliding down the ladder from the cockpit was a green-skinned Twi’lek girl, a greasy, oversized pilot’s jumpsuit hanging loosely around her slim frame. She appeared younger than Caleb had expected, possibly still a teenager, though it was hard to tell through her smudged goggles. She flicked them up to reveal large green eyes. “Anyone hurt?”

“Yeah…” Caleb breathed. “I mean… no, no we’re all right. Thanks to you.”

“Don’t sell yourself short,” she smiled. “That was some move back there.”

“Uh, thank you,” Caleb glanced down, feeling Billaba’s eyes on him.

“We’re indebted to you, captain,” his master thanked the girl.

“Are you the senatorial envoy?”

“Yes,” Chuchi stepped forward. “You were aware of our arrival?”

“I’m from the Tann province,” the girl answered, her lekku, which reached just below her shoulder, twitching slightly. “So, uh… yeah. I heard you were coming. We don’t get many Republic visitors these days.”

“You’re from the Tann province?” Guyen sat up, nursing his temple. “You don’t sound like it.”

“I, uh… I do a lot of travel,” the girl dropped her goggles down again. “The accent kind of wears off when you’re not around it. Anyway, I can drop you off at the Lessu spaceport. There’s… well, there probably should be a transport waiting to take you to the governor’s mansion. I assume that’s where you’ll be headed.”

“Yes, we would be extremely grateful,” Billaba replied.

“And rest assured we will pay you for your troubles,” Chuchi offered.

“No need, happy to help. Plus, we’re only about 10 standard minutes out by air. This old girl doesn’t look like much, but she’s got speed,” the Twi’lek patted the interior fondly before scampering back up the ladder.

“Odd girl,” Guyen remarked quietly, though without the usual bite. “But she… she flies very well.”

“A pilot of her talents ought to be in the Republic Navy,” Chuchi agreed. “Don’t you think, Master Billaba?”

“Indeed.”

Caleb didn’t comment, continuing to stare up the ladder where the girl disappeared. _I should’ve asked her name_ he thought to himself, wondering what about her had transfixed him so.

And why he felt like he knew her voice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm hoping to get this updated every month! There will be multiple parts dealing with the background of each major character and how they eventually meet. Please comment with any suggestions or theories!


End file.
